Shoe-lace knotter



Nov. 18, 1930. D, H ARDY 1,782,066

SHOE LACE KNOTTER Filed Dec. 10, 1929 ,D. H Ha) a INVENTOR.

l) A TTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 18, 1930 UNITED tlsTAT E ii-Arenr mm ELBERT GRUBBS, OF MANILA, PHILIPPINE ISLANDS i SHOE-LACE nno'r'rnn Application filed December 10, 1929, s iaino. 413,106.

seen that the tab ortongue 6 is folded back' This invention relates to shoes and more particularlyto an improved means for securing a shoe whenworn and forming a knot -in its lac e; One object of the invention is to provide a shoe having improved fastening means consistingof a lace applied to -the shoe in" a special manner and adapted to be firmly tied 1 in a bow-knot. v

Another object of the invention is to pro t vide the shoe with a knotted element so associated with the lace that a knot may be easily andquiclrly formed, and to further so form the knotting element that it maybe firmly mounted upon the closure flap or strap of a shoe and the lace retained in proper relation to the knotting element.

' .Another object of the inventionis to so form the knotting element that it will be neat in its appearance and not be unsightly when applied to a shoe. V V V The invention is illustrated in theaccornpanying drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe equipped with one embodiment of themvention, 1

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective View of the knotter shown in Figure 1 a Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view through the knotter and shoe strap or flap, taken along the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a modified form of ltnotter applied to a securing strap of a shoe and illustrating the manner in which a knot is formed in a lace,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 of Figure 4, and r Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 illustrating the mannerot' tying a lace having free ends. r p

The shoe which is'shown in Figure 1 and indicated in general the numeral 1. is of the slipper type and includes the usual vamp 2, back 3 and heel 4. A securingstrap 5 is provided to extend across the instep and at one end is secured to one side of the back 3 of the shoe while its other end is free and overlaps the other side of the back and tab 6 carried thereby when in a securing position. From an inspection of Figure 4; it will be and secured to form a loop or eye through which the lace 7 passes. The lace may be formed of ribbon-or a strand of any other flexible materialdesired and is joined at its ends as shown at 8'so that it forms an endless loopiy i The'flap 5 9 shown in Figures 4 and 6 and this strap 5 is cut to provide an intermediate strip 10 and upper and lower strips 11 spaced from the side edges of the strip 10. The knotting de-' vice shown in Figure 1 preferablyformed of metal although any suitable material may be used and this knotting'device is provided shown in Figure 1 is of greater widththan the corresponding flap or strap with a tubular shank 12 adaptedto fit snugly about the straplO asshown in Figure 3' and leading from ahead 13 which-is arcuate in form and has jaws 14c bet-ween which the forward end portion of the flap or strap '5 is firmly gripped when the {knotter is set in place with itshead between the strips 11. Pressure may be depended upon to hold the knotter in engagement with the strip 10 and free'end'portion of the flap or a suitable adhesivemay be applied'to'assist in securing -theknotteri Since'theendless lace extends through the loop6 and through the'flap 5 at opposite sides of the'shank 12 andstrip 10 it will be retained in proper relation to the shank of the knotter and will be pre-- vented from slipping out of engagement with the flap but whenthe lace is untiedthe flap or strap-5 may be swung away from theloop 6 a suificient'distance to allow the slipper to be easily put on or taken off. j

Inflthe embodiment of "the invention illustrated in Figure't the strap9 does not need to be cut toform spaced strips but its-free end portion '15 is widened and has an opening formed therein through which is passed an eyelet or ring 16 having a flange 17 at one end andits other end portion bent to form J a clamping flange" 18 hearing against a Washer 19. By this arrangement the eyelet will be firmly held to the strap. Theknotting device 20 issimilar in shape to the knotter shown in Figures 1 and 2, and includes a shank 21 and head 22. This knotter'may be of solid drawn to the securing position shown by l or in any other desired manner.

fore the strap 9'1nay be swung away from the side portion of the back carrying the loop 6 a suflicient distance to allow the slipper to be easily put on or taken off.

In the embodiments of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 4 the lace consists of an endless strand which may be ribbon or shoe lace of a conventional formation. After the shoe has been put on the strap 5 or 9 is drawing tightly upon the portions of the lace which project outwardly at opposite sides of the shank of the knotter. The outer end a portion of the lace is then formed into a knot as shown at 28 in Figure 4c and when tightened the portion 24 of thelace will be tightly bound across the strap and a bow formed. The loops of the bow may be again knotted if so desired.

The structure shown in Figure 6 is the same as that shown in Figure 4 except that the lace 25 has free ends and its end portions 26 extend in opposite directions across the shanl 1 when the knot 27 is tightened.

Having thus described the invention, 1

claim: I V

I 1. A shoe having an upper including a se curing flap, a fastener element carried by said flap and having a shank, and a lace carried by a portion of the upper overlapped by said flap and passed through the flap at opposite sides of the shank of said fastener, and adapted to be tied across the shank.

2. A shoe having an upper including a securing flap, a fastener element carried by said flap and having a shank, and a lace carried by a portion of the upper overlapped by said flap and passed through the flap at opposite sides of the shankof said fastener,

securing flap having longitudinally extending side strips and an intermediate strip, the free end of the flap constituting a tab joining the side strips and the intermediate strip terminating in spaced relation to the tab, a knotterhaving a head fixed to said tab between the side strips and having jaws grippingthe tab and a tubular shank receiving the free end portionof said intermediate strip, and a lace carried by said upper and extending outwardly at opposite sides of the shank and adapted to be tied across the shank.

5. A shoe having an upper including a securing flap free at one end, a loop at one side of said upper overlapped by the free end of said flap, a knotter carried by said flap and having a shank, and-a lace slidably passed through said loop and extendingoutwardly at opposite sides of'said shank and adapted to be tied across the shank.

6. A shoe having an upper including a securing flap free'at one end, an eyelet fixed in the free end portion of said flap, a shank extendingdiametrically of said eyelet and having-a head atone end projecting from opposite sides of the shank, and a lace carried by said upper at one side thereof and passed outwardly through the eyelet at opposite sides of said shank and adapted to be tied across the shank.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

7 DONOVAN H. HARDY.

the lace being endless andaloosely connected 7 with theupperand adapted-to be-tied across theshank. 1

3. A shoe having an upper including a securing flap having longitudinally extending side strips and an intermediate strip, the free end of the flap constituting a tab joining the side strips and the intermediate strip terminating in spaced relation to the tab, a

knotter having a head fixed to said tabbetween the side strips and a shank extending from its head and engaged with the intermediate strip, and a lace carried by said upper and passed outwardly between the strips at opposite sides of said shank and adapted to be tied across the shank.

4. A shoe having an upper including a 

